Situation Reports - September 26, 2024 By Geopolitical Monitor The ascent of China’s economic influence in Africa is undeniable, with China surpassing the United States as the continent’s largest trade partner in 2009 and more recently quadrupling the US-Africa trade volume. The trade gap has US policymakers concerned over eroding US influence on the continent, increasing the appetite for developmental and infrastructure investment to facilitate US-Africa economic ties. It is in this context that the Lobito Corridor – a 1,300 km railway traversing Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Zambia – first came to light in 2023. Any US initiative in Africa is destined to play catch-up against China’s longer running and more comprehensive engagement strategy. Over the past decade, such efforts have run through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a colossal infrastructure and economic development project spanning across Asia, Europe, and Africa. To date, 52 African gove
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